


Memories and Promises

by brooklynapple



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Confessions, F/F, Fluff, Reunions, SO MUCH FLUFF, So many kisses, marianne deserves all the happiness, so many feels, sometimes you just want to write about two girls who love each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-05-11
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:40:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24121486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brooklynapple/pseuds/brooklynapple
Summary: A year after war breaks out and they are forced to leave the academy, Hilda unexpectedly shows up in Edmund territory to visit Marianne.
Relationships: Marianne von Edmund/Hilda Valentine Goneril
Comments: 6
Kudos: 87





	Memories and Promises

**Author's Note:**

> I told myself I was going to write a short, fluffy, super-sweet Marihilda piece, and 5500 words later, here we are. Enjoy!

“Lady Edmund, it seems a visitor has arrived for you, somewhat unexpectedly.”

Marianne looks up from her book, startled by the house steward’s voice. She’s sure there must be some mistake - she isn’t expecting any visitors here at House Edmund. She’s never been the type to entertain visitors, entailing as that does the type of small talk and conversation skills that she’s never been able to muster.

She makes her way to the reception hall with dread, wondering who it is that she’ll have to entertain. As soon as she enters, Hilda bounds across the room and sweeps her into a big hug. 

“Marianne, I’ve missed you so much!”

Marianne can’t hide her astonishment. Hilda is here, really here, laughing and squeezing her tightly as though it hasn’t been over a year since they last saw each other as students at the academy.

She inhales and is surrounded by the familiar scent of Hilda’s perfume. It’s the same rose fragrance that Hilda sprinkles on the many letters she’s written to Marianne in the year since they fled Garreg Mach after the war broke out. Marianne has taken those letters out of her bedside drawer more than once - a lot more, if she’s honest with herself - to breathe in their scent, which somehow reminds her of home more than anything here at Edmund Manor. It’s the same fragrance that used to linger in Marianne’s room and on her clothes after they spent time together at the monastery. She would know it anywhere.

She pulls back to look Hilda in the face, without letting go. “Hilda, how-what are you doing here?” She’s smiling, she can’t help it, it’s just so good to see Hilda again and be this close to her after so long. 

“What, Mari, not even a hello first?” Hilda winks, and Marianne giggles in delight at how very _Hilda_ she still is. “Sorry that I just showed up unannounced like this, but when your father turned down our invitation to host you at House Goneril because of the ‘dangers at our border’ or whatever, I just couldn’t stand the thought that I might never get to see you! So I um, _may_ have packed a bag and jumped on a wyvern after telling Holst that I had to rescue a fair maiden.” 

She kisses Marianne on the cheek, and Marianne feels herself blush. 

“I’m sorry, Hilda, I just wasn’t expecting you at all when I came down to see who was asking for me. But I’m so glad you’re here.” She smiles into Hilda’s pink eyes as she says it, thinking that they still have the same sparkle she remembers back when they were students. 

“Young Lord Goneril wisely sent a messenger ahead to warn me that she was coming.” Marianne’s father stands in the doorway, regarding them with an amused smile. 

Marianne suddenly realizes that she and Hilda are standing in their reception hall wrapped in each other’s arms and steps away, red-faced. Hilda is still somehow as nonchalant and carefree as ever.

“Is that why the guards told me I was expected when I landed my wyvern in front of your gate? So much for the element of surprise! You must be Margrave Edmund. I’m Hilda Valentine Goneril, as you already know. It’s a pleasure to meet you!” She curtseys with the same grace and aplomb that Marianne has always admired about her. 

Marianne misses the warmth of Hilda’s hug already, but separating for introductions does let her get a good look at Hilda for the first time. Her twin pigtails have been replaced by a more grown-up, pulled-back hairstyle, and instead of the Academy uniform they all had to wear as students, she’s clad in supple black and pink leather riding leathers emblazoned with the crest of House Goneril. Maranne can’t help but notice that Hilda seems to wear much tighter-fitting riding leathers than most people. Not that she minds. 

She tears her attention away from Hilda as her father replies. “It’s a pleasure to meet you as well, Lady Goneril. I’ve heard so much about you from Marianne, and I look forward to getting to know each other better. Perhaps the three of us can share dinner tonight? I’m sure you’ll want to rest and refresh yourself after your journey, and I imagine you and Marianne have a lot of catching up to do.”

“I would be delighted to dine with you and Marianne tonight, Margrave Edmund. Thank you for your hospitality. And yes, I’d love to change out of these sweaty clothes and hear what my dear Mari has been up to this past year!”

“Excellent. Marianne, would you show your friend to some suitable guest chambers, and we’ll reconvene for dinner? I’ll be looking forward to it.” He smiles warmly and departs. 

No sooner has he left than Hilda takes Marianne’s hand. Hilda’s hand is also just like Marianne remembers, callused and strong from all of her axe training, yet somehow delicately soft at the same time. 

“This way, I’ll show you where you’ll be staying. I still can’t believe you’re here!”

Hilda keeps up a stream of lively chatter as Marianne guides her through the halls of Edmund Manor to the spacious, well-appointed guest room near her own. She catches herself staring as Hilda sets down her bag and unpacks a few things. She still can’t quite believe Hilda is really here, and now that she’s gotten over her initial astonishment, so many feelings are swirling around in her head. 

She and Hilda had been close friends at Garreg Mach, and then towards the end of their time together their friendship had turned into...something more. It started slowly, with lingering touches and little gestures of affection on Hilda’s part that Marianne thought she must have been imagining at first. After all, why would someone as charming and outgoing and beautiful as Hilda be interested in her? 

But Hilda seemed determined to make sure Marianne couldn’t mistake her affection for anything other than what it was, growing bolder with things like holding her hand and kissing her cheek in public. People started to notice and comment, and while Marianne blushed at their words, she couldn’t really say that she minded. Not when it was Hilda, smiling with a knowing look on her face and her arm around Marianne’s shoulders every time one of their friends remarked on how close they’d gotten. 

And then one night when they’d stayed up way too late talking, curled up on Hilda’s bed as the candle burned low, Hilda had kissed her, and she’d kissed Hilda back. For a few glorious weeks they were blissfully happy together. Then Edelgard attacked the Holy Tomb, war broke out, and they were forced apart right when it felt like they had finally found each other.

Since then, they had only had letters. And now, unexpectedly, this.

“...Marianne? You still there?”

Marianne starts from her reverie, realizing that her mind has wandered while she watched Hilda unpack. 

“I’m sorry, Hilda. Seeing you has brought back a lot of memories. Good ones, don’t worry.”

Hilda smiles sympathetically. “I know exactly what you mean. As I got closer and closer to Edmund territory I found myself getting nervous, can you believe it? Me? Nervous? I guess I was just really excited to see you! And I hoped that you would still be excited to see me too, even though it’s been a while.”

“Hilda.” Marianne says softly, not knowing how to give words to the ache she feels in her chest at seeing Hilda again. “Seeing you here, right now, it-it makes me happier than I can say. I’ve missed you so much.”

Her feet have somehow carried her closer to Hilda as she talked. She wants to reach out, to wrap her arms around Hilda again so she can feel her warmth and breathe in her scent. And it’s like Hilda knows, or maybe she just wants it too, because suddenly they’re in each other’s arms, holding tightly as though the other might disappear if they let go. 

Hilda turns her head and murmurs against Marianne’s neck. “I’m so glad to be here with you. It was definitely worth the long wyvern ride.” 

Marianne giggles and gives Hilda a gentle squeeze. Part of her just wants to cuddle with Hilda in a secluded room for the rest of the day. But she’s surprised to realize that another part of her yearns to show Hilda her home, and all of the places in Edmund territory where she’d spent time alone in the past year, wishing Hilda were there to share them with. 

“I’m excited to show you Edmund Manor, and the gardens and forests, and introduce you to all of the animals. Oh, and my father, of course. I um, I’ve told him quite a bit about you.”

“Only good things, I hope? I don’t want to have to work too hard to impress him!” 

“I only have good things to say when it comes to you.” Marianne gives her a kiss on the forehead, still not quite able to believe that Hilda is here within kissing distance.

Hilda grins. “I can’t wait to hear about all the things you’ve been up to in the past year. Do you want to show me some of those gardens you mentioned while you tell me all about it?”

“If you’re not too tired, maybe we could go on a short ride? I can show you some of my favorite parts of our estate. There’s a really pretty place to view the sunset.”

“As long as we’re riding horses and not wyverns! I am so done with wyverns for the next week at least!”

Marianne laughs and reluctantly lets go so she can make preparations for their excursion. She realizes Hilda is staring at her with a soft smile.

“What is it?”

“It’s nothing. I just forgot how much I love hearing you laugh.”

Marianne blushes and looks away. She’s smiling, though, and she thinks she’ll probably be smiling a lot over the next few days.

**

They ride out of Edmund Manor’s gates and along a trail towards the sea, which can occasionally be glimpsed through the towering trees that surround them. Marianne is riding Dorte, of course, and she’s given Hilda a sleek, spirited black mare “who loves to show off and knows exactly how pretty she is,” a description that earns a sideways glance from Hilda.

It’s not long before the trail ends in a clearing at the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea. The sun is sinking in the west and sparkles in the choppy waters of the bay that opens up before them.

“On the clearest days you can see all the way across the bay to Fraldarius territory,” Marianne explains as they dismount and spread a blanket out in the lush grass. “When I was younger our families occasionally visited each other by boat, to promote good relations among the nobility.”

“Does that mean you knew little Felix?” Hilda asks with delight. “Was he just as grumpy as a kid as he was at Garreg Mach?”

“No, I don’t think so. I remember him as a playful child who idolized his older brother. After what happened at Duscur, though, our visits stopped.” She gazes out across the bay, the mood suddenly solemn. 

“Oh, of course. I wonder where Felix is now. I hope he’s okay. This war has been hard for so many people.” Hilda sighs and reaches for Marianne’s hand. 

Marianne laces her fingers with Hilda’s and leans against her shoulder. There’s so much she wants to say, about the war and their friends and former classmates, about her year alone here in Edmund territory beginning to learn her duties as heir to a great house, and about the kind of life she’s starting to realize she wants, now that she knows she wants to have a life at all. About Hilda, and the place she hopes Hilda might have in her life.

Words have never come easily to her, though, so instead of saying any of that, she squeezes Hilda’s hand. And then remembers that she brought something on their ride to help her find the courage to talk about these things.

“Oh, I almost forgot.” She rummages through the saddlebags on the grass next to them and produces a bottle of wine and two glasses. “I snuck this out of our cellar as we were on our way out. I don’t think my father noticed.” Her eyes twinkle as she offers a glass to Hilda.

“Marianne, I’m shocked! And delighted.” Hilda grins and clinks her glass against Marianne’s. “Ooh, is this a Gloucester burgundy? Apparently you’ve spent part of this year developing a taste for fine wine!”

Hilda takes a sip from her glass and hums appreciatively. They drink for a few moments in companionable silence. Marianne is still trying to gather her words, unsure of exactly what she wants to say, but needing some way to express the emotions brimming inside her.

Hilda breaks the silence first, as she always does.

“You look well, Mari. Much better than when we were at the academy. Not that you looked bad then, you were just as adorable as you are now, but the circles under your eyes are gone, and you look...rested. Happier. What’s your secret?” She casually reaches up to tuck a strand of hair behind Marianne’s ear, just like she used to do when they were students. 

Marianne is caught off guard, flooded with memories of all the little ways Hilda showed her affection back then. The ways that Hilda was always there for her, supporting her even when she felt like she didn’t deserve it. And then she knows what it is that she wants to say.

“I-I’m not sure exactly when it happened. It happened so slowly that I barely noticed. But one day, I realized that I no longer felt cursed, or like I was walking around with a weight on my soul. I was able to look forward to things. I wanted to live.”

She pauses to take a sip of her wine and a deep breath before continuing. “And when I thought about it, I realized that it was because of you, because of all the things you did for me. The way you made me smile and laugh, and the times that you’d comfort me when I was so sad and lost that nothing else would make it better. I can’t even begin to say how much that means to me. But I wanted to at least try to tell you while you were here.”

She makes herself look at Hilda as she finishes speaking. She’s not good at this, still not good at believing that her feelings are something that other people should care about, especially not someone like Hilda. But she knows she has to try. 

Hilda has set aside her wine and is looking at her with tears in her eyes. Marianne realizes she’s close to tears too, having finally told Hilda the truth that she’s kept close to her heart for so long.

“Marianne.” Hilda’s voice is brimming with emotion. “You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear that.” She laughs softly. “Or maybe you do. You know how important you are to me, right? All those things I did for you, everything I said in my letters, I meant it all. I feel like we were just starting to figure things out back at the monastery and then we had to leave each other. And I missed you so much and I was so worried about you here all alone, and I came all this way to see you because I just couldn’t stand not being with you anymore. And I-”

Marianne surprises both of them by cutting Hilda off with a kiss. She doesn’t let herself think, she just acts, and once their lips touch she doesn’t care if it’s the wine or the confession or the year of pent-up longing that helped her do it, because she’s never felt as happy and at peace in her life as she does right now. 

Hilda’s lips are just as soft as Marianne remembers, made even sweeter with the lingering taste of the wine. Their kiss deepens as Hilda’s arms tighten around her, and the world seems to fall away until there’s nothing else but the two of them, losing themselves in each other. 

And then they’re laughing and tumbling together on the blanket, faces flushed as much from the kiss as the wine. They spend a long time entwined together, sharing kisses and caresses as the sun sinks below the horizon and twilight engulfs them. 

“Is this what you were hoping for when you jumped on your wyvern to fly here?” Marianne teases, feeling bold and slightly dizzy from the taste of Hilda’s lips and the feeling of their bodies pressed together.

“I just wanted to see my Marianne.” Hilda replies, stroking Marianne’s cheek. “Though maybe I was secretly hoping for a kiss or two if things went well.” She runs her hand along the curve of Marianne’s hip, and Marianne shivers. 

“We should head back before long,” Marianne says, leaning in to kiss Hilda again. “We’re having dinner with my father, after all.”

Hilda sighs. “I suppose you’re right. It won’t exactly make a good first impression if I’m late for dinner with your father on my first day here. And explaining why we’re late would be pretty awkward.”

**

They are not late for dinner, though they definitely have to set a faster pace on the way back than they did on the way out. Marianne doesn’t mind, as she knows the horses are as familiar with this trail as they are with their stalls back in the stable, and just as eager to get to their own dinner on time. It’s also hard to be truly worried about anything when she and Hilda can’t stop grinning at each other.

The two of them have just enough time to make themselves presentable and head to House Edmund’s formal dining hall. Marianne explains on the way that she and her father normally eat in the family’s smaller, private dining area when it’s just the two of them, but her father wanted to welcome a distinguished guest from House Goneril with a formal dinner.

Hilda is truly in her element as they partake in the feast that’s been prepared in her honor. Her etiquette is impeccable as she compliments the selection of dishes and wines and effortlessly makes small talk with Margrave Edmund, who seems pleased to have such an attentive and engaging guest. 

Marianne mostly watches and listens as Hilda brings her considerable charm to bear on her father, finding herself captivated by Hilda’s effortless social grace. It seems impossible to believe that Hilda is doing all of this for her, that she would put in so much effort to impress her father after coming all this way just to see her. But this is only the latest of many impossible things that Hilda has done for Marianne, and while she still doesn’t feel like she deserves them, she will never stop being grateful that this was the way the Goddess chose to answer her prayers to put an end to her misery.

**

After dinner the Margrave retires to his study, and Marianne leads Hilda up to her room. She briefly wonders if it’s improper to bring Hilda into her bedroom when they are clearly more than just friends, but dismisses the thought as she recalls all of the time they spent in each other’s rooms at the monastery. She also doesn’t think she could bear to be apart from Hilda for the rest of the night, not when they’ve been apart for so long. 

They stay up late into the night talking and cuddling on her bed, just like old times. She tells Hilda about the duties she’s been given as heir to House Edmund, and the things her father has been teaching her about how to manage their territory and maintain relations with other noble houses. She confides to Hilda that it was overwhelming at first, and she wasn’t sure why her father thought that someone like her could ever be up to the task. But as time went on she warmed to the work, especially the political parts, and she feels a shy sense of pride as she tells Hilda that her father now seeks out her counsel about their house’s participation in the Leicester Alliance.

She realizes that she’s been talking at length about politics and house relations, and turns to Hilda apologetically. “I’m sorry Hilda, I know politics has never been your favorite thing. Am I boring you? We can talk about something else.”

She isn’t expecting the look of adoration and pride on Hilda’s face. “Are you kidding? I’ve been hanging on every word! I’ve never seen you this passionate about something, Marianne, it’s amazing! I’m so proud of you, you’re gonna be such a great Margrave one day!” 

Marianne blushes and smiles as Hilda continues to gush about her. She still finds it hard to believe that anyone could view her as a future Margrave, but if Hilda thinks so, it must be at least a little bit true.

Hilda’s year in Goneril territory has been just as eventful, and Marianne listens raptly as she talks about defending the border from Almyran incursions, war councils with her family, and the latest gossip that she’s learned through her letters with Claude. Marianne is secretly pleased to discover that she knows some of the gossip already from her political dealings, and even has some gossip of her own to share that Hilda hasn’t heard yet.

As the hour gets later, Marianne cuddles closer to Hilda, leaning her head on Hilda’s shoulder.

“Do you remember the time back at the academy when I was having trouble sleeping at night, and you insisted that I take a nap with you, and I fell asleep with my head on your chest?”

“Of course.” Hilda’s voice is soft and low, and she gently caresses Marianne’s hand as she talks. “I think about that day a lot.”

“I...I want you to hold me like that again.”

Hilda turns to face Marianne, so close Marianne can feel the whisper of her breath. She cups Marianne’s cheek and slides an arm around her waist. 

“I would like that so much. Only this time I’m going to kiss you like I wanted to so badly back then.”

And then there are no more words as Hilda kisses her softly and pulls her down onto the bed. 

**

In the morning Marianne expects to wake first, but when she opens her eyes Hilda is already awake and watching her with a dreamy smile. She thinks she could get used to waking up like this every day. It dawns on her that one day she might actually get to, and the thought is a little scary but also indescribably wonderful.

She smiles and taps a finger on Hilda’s nose. “Since when did you become an early riser? I remember Claude used to have to drag you out of bed for classes.”

Hilda scrunches up her nose and Marianne thinks it might be the cutest thing she’s ever seen. “Oh, trust me, I’m still not a morning person. But some things are worth waking up for.” 

Hilda brushes her fingers across Marianne’s cheek. Her gaze drops to Marianne’s neck, and she smirks.

“Oops, um, you may want to pick out a dress with a high neck to wear today. I guess I got a little carried away last night.” 

Marianne blushes and reaches out to touch a matching mark on Hilda’s neck. “I think we both got carried away. I don’t regret it though.”

She leans in to give Hilda a kiss, and Hilda pulls her close. They are late to breakfast, but Marianne doesn’t mind at all.

**

The rest of the week flies by as they try to make the most of every minute together. Marianne makes good on her promise to show Hilda all that Edmund territory has to offer, and they fill several days exploring the forests, streams and fields and walking along the rocky beaches. 

One particularly memorable afternoon they happen upon a new litter of kittens in the stables, which Hilda insists on naming after the Golden Deer. Marianne decides her favorite is the runt of the litter, a tiny, feisty white girl they dub Lysithea. Hilda likes the sleek black and white boy she calls Mister Leader Man, and they both love the big cuddly orange boy whose name, of course, is Raphael. 

On a few days they wake up to the sound of rain pattering on the roof, which Hilda uses as an opportunity to bring out her crafting materials and show Marianne the new accessory techniques she’s learned in the year since they left the monastery. By the end of the week Marianne has a new bracelet, hair clip and earrings, all made from matching metals and stones that Hilda says bring out the colors of her eyes and hair. The rain also gives them the perfect excuse to stay in Marianne’s room all day, laughing and talking and kissing and making up for lost time.

They spend quite a bit of time chatting over tea, sometimes joined by the Margrave. Despite Hilda’s professed aversion to politics, she more than holds her own as the three of them discuss the war, Fodlan’s political situation, and their respective houses’ plans.

Marianne can tell that her father is charmed and impressed by Hilda, which comes as more of a relief than she was expecting. More than once she sees him watching them with a kind, knowing smile, though she never quite dares to ask what he’s thinking. She wonders if he’s noticed that Hilda’s guest chambers have gone mostly unused, the bed unslept in, but thankfully he never makes mention of it. 

**

As much as Marianne wishes Hilda could stay forever, all too soon the day comes when Hilda must make her return to Goneril territory. It’s a bittersweet feeling to wake up next to her one last time, knowing that tomorrow morning her bed will be empty again. 

Hilda has always been able to sense her moods and seems to know just the right thing to do. She alternates between telling little stories and jokes to make her smile, and kissing her against the soft covers of her bed until she’s breathless, her senses so full of Hilda that she has no room for sad thoughts. There’s only Hilda, so strong and safe and reassuring and full of love and gentle affection that Marianne thinks her heart might burst. 

At last, they cannot put off the hour of Hilda’s departure any longer. Hand in hand, they make their way down to the reception hall to say their goodbyes. Marianne makes a quick detour to the kitchens to retrieve a satchel of food for Hilda’s journey, and as she returns she sees her father pull Hilda aside. She pauses in the hallway, unsure whether to intrude or not.

“I trust you had a good visit with my daughter, young Lady Goneril?”

“I really did, Margrave. She’s a very special girl. I care for her a lot.” Marianne feels her face grow warm as she hears Hilda’s praise.

“I can see that, and I can see that she cares for you too. I need not remind you that she is my only daughter, and heir to my house.”

“I-I’m aware, my lord. I know she has a lot of responsibility on her shoulders. I try to make her smile when I can so that the responsibility doesn’t feel too heavy.”

“And I thank you for that. We both know Marianne could stand to smile a bit more. But I want to make sure you are, how shall I put this, clear about your intentions with her.”

Marianne stands frozen in the hallway with one hand on the wood-panelled wall. She can hardly believe what she’s hearing, to say nothing of the note of amusement she swears she detects in her father’s voice.

“My intentions, my lord?”

“Yes. I take the matter of Marianne’s honor very seriously. House Edmund is an old house. As is House Goneril, for that matter. We don’t make light of things like courtship. If you’re only here for a bit of fun, well, I won’t have you play games with my daughter’s heart.”

“No my lord, I would never-” The panic in Hilda’s voice would almost be funny if Marianne’s heart weren’t trying to beat its way out of her chest.

“But,” the Margrave continues, and Marianne is sure now of the mirth in his tone, “if your intentions are serious, there are far worse matches Marianne could make than the only daughter of House Goneril. Think on it, my dear. I hope you have a safe and pleasant journey home.”

Marianne scrambles out of the hallway and into the adjacent room as her father emerges into the corridor, leaving a stunned-looking Hilda in his wake.

“Ah, Marianne, there you are!” There’s a twinkle in her father’s eye as he spies her. “I was just bidding Hilda farewell. I’m sure you two want some time to say your own goodbyes, so I’ll leave you to it.”

“Thank you, father.”

Marianne finds Hilda looking thoughtful in the next room. She’s not sure exactly how to bring up the conversation she just overheard, but luckily she doesn’t have to.

“Marianne! Did you, um, how much of that did you just hear?”

“I um, I was in the hallway. I heard all of it. I-I’m glad my father seems to like you.” The word _courtship_ keeps echoing in her head, but she can’t quite manage to say it directly.

“Yeah so...I guess this means that we’re courting now? Since we seem to have your father’s permission?” Marianne has never seen Hilda act this bashful. “I sort of imagined that I would ask you formally, but I guess that ship has sailed, and I should really probably tell my parents, and Holst, but-”

Marianne stops her with a finger on her lips. “Hilda, yes. I accept your offer of courtship. Now kiss me.” The moment is bittersweet since Hilda is leaving, and Goddess knows when they’ll manage to see each other again, but right now all Marianne cares about is the warmth flooding her chest as Hilda pulls her into a tender kiss.

As they separate, Hilda reaches into her pocket. “I have one more thing for you. I was saving it for a farewell gift, and now I guess it’s even more fitting since we’re courting and all.”

She takes out a flat velvet box and opens it before handing it to Marianne. Inside is a delicate silver necklace with a sparkling pink pendant in the shape of a half-heart. Marianne’s eyes widen.

“I didn’t make any necklaces for you while I was here because I wanted you to wear this one. I made a matching one for myself.” She pulls out the necklace hidden under her shirt. The half-heart pendant on hers is a pale crystalline blue. “I know the colors and symbolism and everything are a bit much, but it really does feel like I’m leaving half of my heart here with you.” 

Marianne blinks back tears, one hand covering her mouth. She knows she should say something, she wants to say something, but her voice is trapped behind a lump in her throat. Luckily, Hilda understands, like she always does. She takes the necklace out of the box and carefully fastens it around Marianne’s neck. Then she presses her forehead against Marianne’s.

“Hey, it’s okay. I’ll be back, I promise, and in the meantime you’ll have this little piece of me with you. I’ll be thinking about you every day, and I’ll write you so many letters.” She smiles and wipes away one of the tears that have started to trickle down Marianne’s cheeks.

Marianne smiles back as best she can and wraps her arms around Hilda, wishing she could never let go. Hilda pulls her closer and they stay that way for a few heartbeats, holding each other. Finally, Marianne finds her voice, and manages to whisper in Hilda’s ear.

“I love you.”

She can’t see Hilda’s face, but she feels her go still in her arms. Then Hilda cups her face in both hands, and she’s smiling and crying at the same time as she looks right into Marianne’s eyes and says “I love you too. Always.”

**

The rest of Hilda’s departure preparations are a blur of saddling her wyvern and securing saddlebags and making sure nothing is left behind, all while stealing as many final kisses as they can. They share one last, lingering hug before Hilda climbs into the saddle and takes off, blowing a kiss at Marianne as the wyvern climbs into the air. 

Marianne feels an ache in her chest as she watches Hilda fly away until she and her wyvern are only a speck in the sky. Some of it is a sad ache, because Hilda is leaving and there’s a war and who knows when they’ll see each other again. But another part of it, maybe even the bigger part, is a swelling, happy ache as she clutches the pendant around her neck. Because she knows, no matter what it takes, that Hilda will be back for her.

**Author's Note:**

> The scene where Marianne talks about napping with Hilda was inspired by [this gorgeous piece of fanart](https://twitter.com/str8boykev/status/1232715905106358274), and as I was finishing writing this, Riz posted [another gorgeous piece](https://twitter.com/ilvernaa/status/1259535016230400000) that I thought perfectly captured the tone of the fic. I'm very grateful to be part of a fandom that loves these girls as much as I do!
> 
> I’m [quorniya](https://twitter.com/quorniya) on Twitter, and also help run Marihilda discord.


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